Tesla announces $300 charging mat that can charge 3 devices at once • TechCrunch

Remember the Apple AirPower Charging Mat? Announced in 2017, the device was supposed to charge three devices simultaneously, but Apple never released it, citing engineering issues. Now, Tesla is giving it a shot with the just-announced wireless charging platform.

Inside the Cybertruck-inspired aluminum case is a wireless charging pad named FreePower from a startup called Aira. This is the same platform used in other multi-device charging mats like the Nomad Base Station Pro. This technology provides up to 15W of fast charging for up to three devices. Apparently, users can just throw their devices on the Alcantara surface, and no matter where they land, they’ll be recharged.

This convenience doesn’t come cheap; the wireless charging pad costs $300.

Aira, the company that developed the charging platform, was founded in 2017 and has since raised $16 million to date. Its last fundraising was through angel investors in 2019, mostly led by private investors including Jawad Ahsan, Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec. At the time, the company said the funding would be used to go beyond the consumer market and allow the company to expand into the corporate, automotive and hospitality fields. .